Suicide Prevention Strategy May 18, 2018
500+ First Nations youth have committed suicide since 2005, 4 x average for non-indigenous. First Nations girls aged 10 to 19 faced a suicide rate 26 times higher than non-First Nations girls in Saskatchewan. The strategy will focus on access to mental health facilities
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations released its suicide prevention strategy that draws on previous efforts from Quebec, Nunavut and U.S. Indigenous communities that have shown promising results.
- We will take a focused and active approach to suicide prevention
- We will support community‐led action and build on cultural and community strengths
- We will invest in the next generation by taking actions to support healthy early childhood development
- We will better equip children and youth with skills to cope with adverse life events and negative emotions
- We will strengthen the continuum of culturally appropriate mental health services
- We will strengthen the continuum of care for substance use and addiction services
- We will develop a strategy aimed at reducing our high rates of violence and of child sexual abuse
- We will communicate about prevention and our progress
- We will support ongoing culturally‐relevant research, monitoring and evaluation
http://www.fsin.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/SFNSPS-FINAL-2018-May-24.pdf